Transmission mechanism



Dec. 31, 1940.. G. G. sPEER, JR

TRANSMISSION MECHANISM Filed Dec. 8, 1959 2 Sheens--Sheetl 1 .Dw 31 19404 G. G. sPEER, JR

l TRANSMISSIONA MECHANISM 2 sheets-sheet 2f Filed Dec. 8, 1939 INVEN TOR.,

Patented Dec. 3l, 1940 UNI so sr 'riss rrJENr oies 'rnANsMissroN MacnANisM Application -Iiec em-ber 8, 1939, Serial No. 308,214

8 Claims.

'I'his invention relates to transmission mechanism and particularly to one useful for connecting a starting motor to an internal combustion engine, such as an automotive equipment.

Starter mechanisms are in general well known, and usually include a pinion arranged to be driven by the starting motor, which pinion is caused to engage a gear xed on the engine crank-shaft, either directly or by means of an idler, upon energization of the starting motor. Thus rotation of the starting motor imparts rotation to the engine shaft. Upon the engine beginning to op erate under its own power, the engine shaft rotates more rapidly than it does under the inuence of the` starter. To prevent such rotation causing the starter mechanism to rotate, at a high and dangerous speed, the gearing is arranged so as -to be immediately disconnected upon starting of the engine.

It is a principal object of this invention to provide such a mechanism, having an improved means for controlling the connection of the starting motor to the engine.

It is another object of this invention to provide such a mechanism in which the rotation of the startingmotor` iseectiveto urge the gears into driving relation without the use of springs or other mechanical connections.

It is another object of this invention to provide such a mech'anisn'i wherein the gears are immediately disengaged upon the engines starting.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a transmission mechanism providing a large gear reduction without requiring a' gear member of'large diameter or an excessive number of gears. Thus the transmission'is particularly useful for connecting a starter motor to an airplane engine of the type inwhich the propeller takes lthe place of the flywheel.

It is a still further object of -this invention Vto provide such a mechanism which is symmetrical about its axis and which is capable of being mounted coaxially with respect to the engine shaft.l I

It is a still further object of this invention to provide such a transmission having means to prevent damage to the gearing or starting motor in case the engine back res.

This invention possesses many other advantages, and has other objects which may be made more easily apparent from a consideration of one embodiment of the invention. For this purposeA there is showna formin the drawings accompanying and forming part of the present specification. This form will now be described in detail, illustrating the general principles of the invention; but it isV to be understood that this detailed description is not to be taken in a limit- ,v ing sense, since the scope of this invention is best dened by the appendedclaims.

In the drawings: l Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through the transmission, as installed in connection with an internal combustion engine v Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are detail sections as seen. on the correspondingly numbered planes of Fig. 1;-

Fig. 5 is a detail section as seen on plane 5--5 of Fig. 4; and 5 Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic showing ofthe transmission gearing.

Referring to the drawings and particularly to Figs. 2 and 6, the driven gear 4B is shown as connected. to the crank shaft I0 of an engine,.;20 and adaptedto be driven by a starting motor for operating the shaft lll. v

The train of gearing for driving gear il!! may be now generally set forth. A driving pinion 42 is arranged t0 be driven by a source of power, as; for example, the starting motor; the manner in which this drive is accomplished Will be set forth hereinafter. An idler 'or floating pinion 45 isrotatably supported for arcuate movement. about the axis of pinion 'l2 and is maintained constantly in mesh with pinion 42. The idler d5 is arranged to move into and out of engagement with the spur gear, depending on the relative speeds of pinion Q2 and gear 4D. Thus, if pinion 42 is driven in the direction indicated by the .vari` ous arrows (counterclockwise `in Fig. ,2) it will rotate idler 45 in a clockwise direction (Fig. 2) and also cause it to roll downwardly into engagement with gear 4l) about the `axis of pinion 42. 'I'he idler 45 now operatively connects pinion 42:40 and gear 6D, and rotation of the pinion 42 will be imparted to the gear wand connected'parts.

If gear 40 tends to rotate at amore rapid rate than that imparted by pinion 42, wheel 45'wil1 be rolled around the periphery of pinion i2, so 5 that the wheel 45 will describe a planetary path about the axis of pinionv t2, and in a clockwise direction as viewedin Fig. 2.` Thus the driving connection between pinion i2 and gear 4U will be 50 interrupted.

Thus gear Il may be arranged to drive the crank shaft lll of an internal'combustion engine, as in the present case, and pinion 42 may be arranged to be driven by a suitable source of power such as an electric motor, to impart rotation to the crank shaft until the engine operates under its own power. If now the starting motor is energized, the rotation of pinion 42 causes idler 45 to roll in a planetary manner, into mesh with gear 46, whereby the source of power rotates the crank shaft. When the engine starts, the crank shaft IIJ, and consequently gear 46 turn much faster than when driven bythe source of power. This immediately throws idler 45 out of engagement with gear 46 which prevents the pinion 42 and starting motor from being driven by rotation of the crank shaft.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, the crank shaft I0 of an internal combustion engine is shown as extending through an end wall I.I of the crank case I2.` Crank case I2 is shown as provided with a cylindrical extension 20 terminating in -a flange 2|. A plate or web 39 is suitably secured to flange 2I. ...An extension shaft I1 is joined to crank shaft I6 as by a spline connection 33 and extends through extension 20 and opening 3| in web `30, a suitable anti-friction lbearing 32 serving to support the shaft extension I1 in web 30. The other end of shaft I1 carries the driven gear 40. Driven gear 46 may be directly connected to shaft I1, or an overloadconnection, as clutch 4I, may be interposed between them, to be more fully disclosed later. Pinion42 is suitably supported with respect to gear43 by a yoke member 50. Yoke member 50 also pro- .vides a guide for idler 45, as will be hereinafter described.

Pinion 42 could be driven directly by thestarting motor, but to obtain sufficient speed reduction between the motor and the crank shaft I0 in such an arrangement, the gear 4D would have to be of relatively large diameter. rIn order to make it possible to use a gear 46 of small diam- 40jeter, the motor is arranged to drive pinion 42 by means of epicyclic reduction gearing 44. By this means, pinion 42 is ,'not. only rotated about its axis, but is given a planetary movement around gear 40 as well. This results in a relatively large 45 speed reduction with few gears of small diameter.

This arrangement hasthe further advantage of permitting the startingmotor and transmission to be mounted coaxiallyiwith crank shaft I6, resulting in a compact and symmetrical design.

To permit such planetary motion of pinion 42, the yoke member is rotatably supported on shaft I1 adjacent one end thereof by means of a roller bearing 5I. In order to provide a balanced construction, Vyoke 5I) is extended beyond shaft I1 so as to support a second driving pinion 43 which is diametrically opposite pinion 42, and is symmetrical with pinion 42 about the axis of shaft I1. Pinion `43 is arranged to be operatively `connected to gear'46 by an idler gear 46 (Fig. 2).

orThe gears 43, 46, are duplicates in structure and action of gears 42,. 45; it would be possible ob- .viously to provide more than two sets of these Agears should it be desirable.

Since driving pinions 42, 43 Yand idlers 45, 46

are duplicates, only one pair need be described.

,Thus referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, pinion 42 is `shown as accommodated in a circular recess 52 formed in yoke `56, suitableY clearance being provided about the gear teeth. Pinion 42 is formed o integrally with a stub shaft 53, which is suit- -ably supported in yoke 5U as by an anti-friction ,bearing 54, such as needle or roller bearings. Se- Jcured to the end of shaft 53 by a nut 55 and a key 56 is a planet gear 51. This planet gear is given a planetary motion about the axis of shaft I1, by

ysuitable type; such motors are well known, and

since the details thereof are not pertinent to the invention, the motor I3 will not be described further than to point out that the left hand end of shaft I4 (Fig. 1) is suitably supported by a bearing (not shown) in the shell I5 of motor I3.

Shaft I4 is coaxial with crank shaft I6 and shaft I1, and may be operatively connected therewith, through the gears 42, 45, and 43, 46, and planet gears 51. These gears form a transmission mechanism generally indicated by I6.

A support must be provided for the motor I3; preferably such support may be formed directly on crank case I 2. Thus a housing 23 which serves to enclose transmission I6 is secured to flange 2I as by bolts 24, and has a flange 25 to which motor shell I5 is secured. VFor this purpose, an adapter ring 26 is provided on shell I5, being threadedly `attached tothe shell as indicated at 21. Bolts 28 serve ,to secure the ring 26 and motor shell I5 lto flange 25.

The left hand end of extension shaft I1 has a recess or bore 34 in which the end portion 35 of armature shaft I4 is rotatably supported. An anti-frictionlbearing 36 which may be of the needle or roller type is disposed in bore 34. Thus the` armature shaft I4 is supported by the extension I1 and is freely rotatable relative thereto.

Planet gears 51 meshV with a stationary ring gear 60, secured in housing 23 against rotation in a manner to be presently described. As a means of driving gears 51, armature shaft I4 is provided with ,a pinion 61I which engages the gears 51. Rotation of gear 6I will cause gears 51 and connected parts to rotate respectively about their own axes, as well as about the axis of shaft I4, in a well understood manner, the relative rates of rotation depending on the sizes of gears 51 and The internal gear 60 is formed as a ring provided with gear teeth on its inner periphery, and isaccommodated in a counterbore 62 formed in housing 23. Ring gear 60 has a plurality of longitudinally extending lugs or bosses 63 (Figs. 1, 2

is effective to hold ring gear 60 on the bottom of counterbore 62. At the same time the sides of lug 63 engage the sides of recess 66 of ring 64,

`thereby preventing rotation of ring gear 60, ring 64 being held against movement by bolts 28.

An arcuate recess 10 to accommodate the oating pinion or idler 45 is formed in yoke 50 and intersects recess 52 as well as a central recess 1I which accommodates gear 40. Since the outside wall of recess 10 is relied on to maintain idler 45 in mesh with pinion 42, this wall is formed as a cylindrical surface curved about the vmultiplying gearing.

aaaasve axis ofgear 42 as a center, and so spaced'therefromv that when the exterior of idler 45 is in contact with the wall of recess 10, the idler teeth engage those of pinion 42. To prevent the tops of the teeth on the idler 45 wearing the wall of recess I9 unduly, these teeth are provided with a full shroud 12, as plainly shown in Fig. 3. The outside 'diameter of this shroud is at least equal to, or preferably slightly greater than the diameter over the teeth. Thus the idler has a cylindrical surface to contact the wall of the recess 10. y

Shrouds 'I2 are also useful to prevent the idler teeth from bottoming on the pinion 42 or gear 4|). By fbottoming is meant that the tops of the teeth on one gear contact the bottoms of the yspaces between the teeth on the other. Such misalinement causes rapid wear. By providing cylindrical surfaces I3 of the-proper diameter on pinion 42 to engage shrouds I2 on idler 45, the pinion and idler are prevented from approaching each other too closely. Cylindrical shoulders I4 (Fig. 1) formed on the opposite sides of the teeth on gear 40. similarly cooperate with shrouds 12 to prevent idler 45 approaching gear 4|! too closely. l

From the described construction, it will be plain that rotation of the motor shaft I4 will cause rotation of gear 40, the relative speeds and directions of rotation depending on the number of teeth in the various gears. Further, the increased speed of rotation of yoke 5l]A caused by the starting of the engine will create increased centrifugal force acting on idlers 45, 46, and ensuring that they move out of engagement with driven gear 40, to the outer extremities of their respective recesses 10.

Gear 40 might be arranged to drive the crankshaft Ill directly, as by being securedto shaft I l. However, such an varrangement is not desirable, since in case the engine back fires and crank shaft l0 is thereby driven in the reverse direction, serious damage `to the gearing is likely to result. This is because the armature and armature shaft, rotating at a relatively high speed, have considerable inertia, and the force exerted by thecrank shaft I0 turning backwards is opposed to this inertia through the connecting gearing, which under these conditions becomes Thus, a relatively small amount of inertia acting on shaft 4 imposes a severe load on the gearing upon a reversal in the direction of rotation as well as direction of transfer of the force.

To prevent damage tothe transmission, should such back fire occur, gear 40 is arranged to drive thel crank shaft I0 through an overload clutch 4I. This may be an ordinary friction clutch, so adjusted as to transmit tordue reasonably in excess of that which motor I3 is capable of exerting through transmission I6 and well within the strength of the gearing which forms the transmission. However, if the torque for any reason rises to an amount exceeding this, such as would be apt to damage the gears, the clutch will slip. Thus, if during the operation of starting the engine, it happens to backiire so that the crank shaft turns in the opposite direction to that in which it was being cranked, the load imposed on the gearing by the starting motor attempting to drive the crank shaft in one direction and the engine back iire driving it in the other direction would be liable to wreck the transmission. Under such conditions, however, clutch 4| would merely slip, allowing the starting motor to continue to turn, while the crank turns in the reverse direction. No injury will result.

The construction of clutch 4I will now be described. This clutch is of the dry plate type wherein alternate plates are connected to the driving member and are urged into frictional engagement with plates disposed between them which are connected to the driven member. A resilient member is used to urge the plates into engagement, provisionbeing made to adjustvthe force exerted by this member to allow the plates to slip when the power which the clutchl is called upon to transmit exceeds a predetermined limit.

Gear 49 is shown as formed on a hub 'l5 which is suitably connected to a member 76, as by being formed integrally therewith. Member 'I6 forms a clutch housing, and includes a circular plate 'VI serving as a cover for recesses 52 and 'lll to maintain the parts in assembled relationship. The clutch housing 'It isy rotatably supported'on shaft l1 by 'means of an appropriate bearing bushing 13, interposed between the shaft I'I and the hub of gear 49. `Housing member 16 has a cylindrical extension or iiange 80, the interior surface of which has a -plurality of keys or splines 8| formed therein. A plurality of spaced friction disks or plates 82 are provided with peripheral notches slidably to engage these keys, the plates having central bores 83 to clear shaft I1. Interposed between plates 82 are plates B4, the outside edges of which clear keys 8|. The central bores 85 of plates 84, however, are arranged to engage splines 86 formed on shaft I'I. Plates 82 are thus constrained to rotate with the housing 16, but are free with respect to the housing 'I5 but must rotate with shaft II. By urging plates 82 and 84 into frictional engagement, rotative force may be transferred from the shaft to the-housing or vice versa.

A large dished washer `8`| of resilientmaterial is confined between the outside clutch plate 88 and a collar 89 which is threadedly mounted on shaft Il, set screw @Il being provided to hold the collar in adjusted position. A fibre wear plate 9| is provided betweenthe innermost clutch plateBZ and the backl of housing 1S. The arrangement is such that the spring washer 87 is effective to Urge plates 812, 84 into frictional engagement, and by varying the position of collar 89 on shaft I1, the degree of such frictional engagement may be altered.

A second collar is also threadedly mounted cn shaft Il, set screw 95 serving to lock it against undesired movement. Collar S5 cooperates with a thrust washer 9'! mounted in plate 30 to pref.'

vent axial movement of shaft IT to the right (Fig. l). A thrust washer 98 is interposed between the end of'shaft Il and a shoulder 99 formed on armature shaft I4 to prevent movement of shaft I7 to the left, it being understood that the bearing supporting shaft I4 at its left end (not shown) is capable of absorbing thrust at least toward the left.

The schematic showing of Fig. 6 is useful in visualizing the complete transmission. The full circles represent the pitch diameters of the various gears, marked with their appropriate reference characters. while the full lines represent the axes of the shafts and the real or virtual lever arms. The broken circle marked |95 indicates the position which may be assumed by idler 45 when disengaged from gear 4l). The various arrows indicate the relative direction of rotation of the different gears, when these have the relative diameters shown. Obviously, a change in any or all of these diameters will not only alter the speeds at which the different gearsjrotate, but may also change the direction in which some of them revolve. i

If desired, means for exerting a restraining force on each of the idlers, eccentricallywith `respect to its axis may be provided, to ensure that theidlers engage the driven gear. 'I'hus in Figs. 2 and 3, a short pin IUI is shown as slidably suppolted in a hole |02, formed in member 50 and is urged outwardly against idler 45 by a spring 03. During rotation of the idler 45 in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 2, the idler will be restrained somewhat by the pin lill, so that it more readily passes into engagement with gear lill.4 The pressure of the pin against the idler is light, so it has no effect on the subsequent rotationof the idler.

What is claimed is:

l. In a device of the character described, a driving shaft and a driven shaft, a gear on the driven shaft, a pinion, means adapted to form a one-way drivingconnection between the gear and pinion, and gearing means operatively connecting said pinion andsaid driving shaft, said 'gearing means including a driving gear on the driving shaft, a ring gear, and a planet gear member operatively connecting the ring gear and the driving gear and arranged to drive the pinion.

2. In adevice of the character described, a driven gear, a pinion, means for rotatably supporting said pinion, said support means being revoluble about the axisof the gear, means for imparting a planetary motion to the pinion with respect to the gear, a floating pinion carried by said support means and maintained in mesh with the pinion, said floating pinion'being adapted to engage said gear only when theperipheral speed of the rst mentioned pinion exceeds that of the gear.

3. In a transmission mechanism adapted to releasably connect a pair of coaxial shafts, one of said shafts being the driving shaft, and the other of said shafts being the driven' shaft, a pair of` planetary gear trains, the planet gears of both trains being on a common shaft, means whereby rotation of the driving shaft imparts planetary motion to said planet gears, and means forming a releasible driving connection between the planet gear of one gear train and the driven shaft, whereby the planetary motion of said gear is effective to drive said shaft only while the speed imparted to the shaft by the gear exceeds the speed of the shaft.

4. I n a starter mechanism for an internal combustion engine, a gear wheel connected to the engine, a driving gear wheel connected to a starting motor, acouplinggear adapted to beplaced in operative relation between the 'other two wheels, andhaving an axis that is ycapable of movement with respect to the axes of said other two wheels for coupling and uncoupling said two wheels, guide means for restraining motion of the axis of the coupling gear in a planetary path about the axis of the driving gear, and means exerting a continuous, eccentric restraint on said pinion to cause thepinion to roll on said guide means into engagement with the gear wheel in response to rotation by the driving gear wheel.

5. In a device of the character described, a driven gear, a driving gear, means for rotatably supporting said driving gear, said support means being revoluble about the axis of the driven gear,

ymeans for imparting a planetary motion to the driving gear with respect to the driven gear, a iioating pinion carried by said 'support means andA maintained in mesh-with the driving gear, and means carried by said support means exerting a continuous, eccentric force on said pinion to retard rotation of the pinion about its axis and to cause it to move into engagement with the driven gear upon rotation of the driving gear.

6. In a device of the character described, axially alined driving and driven shafts, a gear on the driven shaft, a pinion mounted eccentrically with respect to said shafts, means adapted to couple and uncouple said pinion and said gear, and means connecting said pinion with the driving shaft whereby the pinion is driven about said shafts is' a planetary manner.

7. In a starter mechanism for an internal combustion engine, a' gear wheel connected to the engine, a pinion means revoluble about the axis of the gear wheel for rotatably supporting the pinion, means operatively connecting said pinion to a starting motor for imparting a planetary motion to the pinion with respect to the gear, a floating pinion carried by said support means and maintained in mesh with'the pinion, said floating pinion beingurged away from said gear by the centrifugal force due to the rotation of the support means.

`8. In a starter mechanism for an internal combustion engine, a driving pinion, adriven gear,

'means for imparting a planetarymotion to the driving pinion about the axis of the drivengear,

"as well asa rotary motion about the axis ofthe driving gear, a `floating idler pinion in engagement with the driving pinion, and means whereby Asaid idler pinion is causedto engage the driven gear when the driving pinion is rotated,'and to disengage' the driven gear when the driven gear 

